Bloodborne is a gothic horror action RPG that is currently available on Playstation 4. It is highly acclaimed by fans of souls-like games rich in lore and content (Elden Ring, another souls-like game, is coming out soon.) Bloodborne's story has attracted thousands of fans with its rich characters and attention to detail. Its story is complemented by its gameplay and its large map of several different biomes that allow players to scavenge and explore endless levels and locations.
Ancient castles, plagued dungeons, and monster-filled graveyards are plentiful as the player explores the world of Bloodborne. Many hidden items and mysteries are scattered amongst the world, waiting for players to discover them (many speculate about what could come next in a new iteration of the franchise). These items can be somewhat trying to find or time-consuming; here is a little help. There are a number of keys needed for the main campaign of Bloodborne and its expansion. Here are all the keys in the game and how to get them.
16 Astral Clocktower Key
The Astral Clocktower key unlocks the gate to fight lady Maria inside the Astral Clocktower, part of the Old Hunters DLC. This item can be obtained after defeating the living failures inside the research hall. The caretaker to the patients of the tower, lady Maria, awaits as a challenging boss fight. Possible items rewarded from this area are a minimum of 39000 blood echoes, the Lady Maria hunter set, and the celestial dial that will spawn next to the lamp after defeating Lady Maria (Along with the Lady Maria set, here are some of the best armor sets in the game).
15 The Balcony Key
The Balcony Key opens up the Balcony on the first floor of the Research Hall as part of the Old Hunters DLC. The Key is obtained after giving the NPC, Adeline, brain fluid. On the second dose, she hands over the Key to you. A second option is to kill Adeline and take the key she drops upon her death. Lady Maria entrusted this Key to Adeline, hoping to soothe her pain, but to no avail. Reaching the Balcony leads you to another secret area.
14 Cainhurst Summons
The Cainhurst Summons allows access to the abandoned castle Cainhurst. A blood-stained invitation by carriage that can only be triggered at the monument at Hemwick crossing. Note that the only way to trigger this event is to have already killed the Witch of Hemwick. The Summons can be found in the upper clinic sickroom, which you must reach through the forbidden woods. A good starting point for players is Central Yharnam.
13 Celestial Dial
The Celestial dial is a Boss item drop obtained only after defeating Lady Maria in the Astral Clocktower. It allows access to the Fishing Hamlet through a secret door that opens in the Clocktower Chamber. After obtaining the dial from Lady Maria, the player will receive a prompt to use the dial in front of the chair in the room, go through a short cinematic, and enter the Hamlet. This is also part of the DLC expansion for Bloodborne that carries its own quests and plot lines.
12 Eye Pendant
The Eye pendant in Bloodborne is another key item added in the Old Hunters DLC expansion. It activates the old elevator in the research hall that allows you to traverse its different floors. The Eye Pendant can be obtained inside the Hunter’s Nightmare, residing inside the Nightmare Grand Cathedral.
Be cautious as Laurence, the first Vicar is present, but won't aggro you if all you do is pick up the item. Alternatively, you may fight Laurence to retrieve another Key item that will be usable later in the game.
11 Hunter Chief Emblem
The Hunter Chief Emblem is used to access The Grand Cathedral, which inside awaits a boss. This emblem also allows you to access the area with the Black Set. While this key is optional, it will enable early access to the Cathedral and the Hemwick channel lane. To obtain this emblem, you must purchase it from the bath messenger for 10,000. You must also have the sword hunter badge, which you can only get by defeating the Cleric Beast.
10 Iron Door Key
This Key opens the Iron Door in the Micolash, Host of the Nightmare boss fight room on the right along the bookshelves. Inside the Nightmare of Mernsis area, in the Micolash, there is a corpse holding the key in the basement of the second Foggy Room. Enter the room, turn left, then right all the way; the corpse and key can be found at the end of the path. This area can be visited before or after the Boss fight.
9 Laurences’ Skull
Laurences’ Skull is used to interact with the flaming first cleric to initiate the fight against Laurence the first, Vicar (check out a player that defeated all Bloodborne in record time). It can be found by reaching the church cannon, which you can only reach from the research hall. Take the elevator down, step off it, and send it back up but stay on the floor. A platform with an altar will show up attached to the underside of the raising elevator. Ride this platform down for the Church Cannon, and Laurence's Skull is on the altar.
8 Lecture Theater Key
The lecture Theater key can be found inside the lecture building on its first floor. To reach the Lecture building, the player must be killed by the Lesser Amygdala in the church to the right of the Grand Cathedral while having the Tonsil Stone in their inventory. Then, after a short cinematic, the player will spawn inside the Lecture Building. The desk of the amphitheater-looking room on a teacher's desk holds the Lecture Theater Key, and the body in the middle of the room can grant the Student Set.
7 Lunarium Key
The Lunarium Key unlocks and allows access to the Lunarium in Bigglewerth college. It can be found at the top of Bigglewerth college near a ladder on top of a counter. Being able to enter the Lunarium gives you access to Master Willem, the head of Bigglewerth college, and Rom, the vacuous spider, which is a boss within the college. Master Willem is an NPC that will drop items if killed or provide two insight if talked to.
6 Oedon Tomb Key
The Oedon tomb key is dropped by father Gascoigne after you defeat him. Father Gascoigne can be found at the end of Central Yharnam. You will need to clear out enemies along the way or run by them in the sewer's area. Up the ladder before or after the Maneater Boar, make your way forward and then left. Within the tomb, you can find Eileen, the crow that you can receive the crow hunter badge from.
5 The Orphanage Key
The Orphanage key can be found by defeating a Brainsucker on the upper Cathedral ward after the healing church workshop. The key allows you to access the Orphanage, a hidden area where two optional "Great One" bosses can be fought.
The first is the celestial emissary, who can drop communion. The second is Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos, who drops the Great Isz Chalice. Be prepared for both boss fights; they are challenging events that are not for the inexperienced.
4 Tonsil Stone
The tonsil stone is an item that allows the player access to the Nightmare Frontier if grabbed by a Lesser Amygdala near a church on the left after leaving the grand Cathedral. This item can be received from the first red lantern NPC. This NPC can be found at any light post, one of which is near the big bonfire in Central Yarnham. Players will see a wagon with a red lantern door near it; go down the closest railing, and they will find a fountain with a door.
3 Underground Cell Key
The underground cell key opens up the cells after the underground corpse pile. Once obtained, you may enter the cells and meet with a Yahar'gul hunter who will give you the church pick and the Yamamura Hunter Set. The Underground cell key can be found in the research hall on patient floor three.
You must rotate the staircase and check the body that is revealed after. Be careful; you will be attacked from behind immediately after, so bring a weapon with quick attack speed (Here are some of the best weapons in Bloodborne).
2 Underground Cell Inner Chamber Key
This Key unlocks the cell door to Brador, an NPC that holds the Brador’s set by following specific tasks. To get to Brador, you will have to face a Beastskin Invader. To receive the key, you must meet with and speak to the Harrowed Hunter in all three locations inside the hunter nightmare: the Research Hall and the Fishing Hamlet. In addition, you can also kill the Harrowed Hunter and retrieve the key from the Fishing Hamlet once reached
1 Upper Cathedral Key
Players will need to make their way to the Yahar'gul Chapel lamp and then the third headstone. Go left and then up the stairs. There will be some old hags waiting, but they should not be too difficult to take out. Next, go through an opening in the left-side fence, and then head inside the building to find another hole that can be dropped into. The player should be inside a cell with a dead body that holds the key.